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The clandestine coast

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Vintages Feature Story

Sonoma County and Napa Valley may be household names when it comes to fine wine, but California’s Central Coast has been crafting great wines in the shadows of its neighbours for decades. Let us introduce you to California’s dazzling hidden gems.


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Central Coast

It should come as no surprise that a region known as “California’s fruit basket” produces some agricultural marvels.

The Central Coast comprises many different regions, most notably Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles. What makes regions here so special is the soil and the mountains. Most of the mountain ranges of the Central Coast run east-west and not north-south, meaning these areas are completely exposed to the cooling Pacific breeze.

Toss in heavy nighttime fog, extended daily sunshine, and a dash of clay-rich soil, and you have the perfect recipe for a region well-suited to growing cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and even Cabernet Franc.

Regional producers have been steadily gaining popularity in recent years for their great iterations of these varieties. Keep an eye out for wines from Calera, Bonny Doon, Blue Canyon, Rhys, Diora, Talbott, and McBride Sisters.



Monterey County

You may be familiar with Monterey County’s historic landmarks. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, the cliffs of Big Sur, and the historical village of Carmel-by-the-Sea are staples of California tourism. What you may not be familiar with is the fact that the region has been producing standout wines since the early 1970s, thanks to its unique terroir.

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The valley floor where much of Monterey’s grapes are grown is bitterly cold in comparison with the rest of California (i.e., less-than-ideal surfing weather) and very windy, making it one of the few places in California that thin-skinned grape varieties can thrive. These conditions, coupled with low rainfall and the omnipresent California sunshine, lead to one of the longest growing seasons in North America, perfect for crafting cool-climate wines.

Grapes grown in Monterey County are full of personality. Pinot Noir from Monterey is concentrated, herbaceous and earthy, whereas Chardonnay will offer notes of white peach and a razor-fine acidity. These commonalities are a distinct contrast to the bold, boisterous wines the rest of California is famous for producing.


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Women in wine: McBride Sisters

Two sisters from two ends of the earth sharing one dream. These are the roots of the largest Black-owned wine company in the United States.

Half-sisters Andréa and Robin grew up on opposite sides of the planet. Andréa was raised in Marlborough, New Zealand, and Robin in Monterey, California; two regions known for producing great wines of similar qualities.

Destiny certainly played its hand for the sisters, who would combine their shared talents and love for wine to start their own wine distribution business in 2005. They based their business in the Central Coast, as the pair were familiar with the Coast’s capability to grow the great cool-climate varieties they were both accustomed to, such as Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

Andréa and Robin have been heralds for change in the wine industry, with a selfless goal in mind: to bring forth much-needed change to the inequality and lack of representation of women and people of colour in the wine industry, all while keeping sustainable, inclusive practices.

This ideology is reflected in products like the SHE CAN canned wine collection. A portion of sales goes to the SHE CAN Professional Development Fund, which donates to future female entrepreneurs around the world.

The McBride sisters have proudly released the Black Girl Magic line, which is described as “a personal ode to their culture and story … inspired by the magic and resilience of Black women, to be enjoyed by all."


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